Star Wars: The Emperor's Wrath (Act II:Jedi Hunter)

The Stalker's Revenge

They began their decent to Corellia. The snowy city world was a beautiful planet, but the two Sith were not here for sight seeing.
"Master, we're approaching the capital city...it's a disaster." Kayla informed.
"I can see that." Zalos snapped. Kayla gulped and got back to scanning. He wasn't normally rude to her. The stress and excitement of his revenge getting close must have been unsettling his nerves.
"We...uh..we need to land outside the city by at least a mile. Its a warzone down there." Kayla continued. Zalos nodded and rested his clawed hand on his saber.
"Don't bother landing, just hover above the city, I'll take care of the rest."
"Master, you'll never hit the.."
"Don't question me, apprentice." Kayla looked at her master, then nodded.
"Yes, my lord."

Lord Zalos looked out at the scenery, his emotionless, silver mask staring out. Below him was the city, torn by the war between the Empire and the Republic, while beyond there was the beautiful, peaceful woods and mountains. As a child he had always wanted to visit the mountains, although when the Jedi pulled him away from his family as a boy he never got the chance. He often wondered if his family still lived there, or even if they were alive at all. Kayla suddenly interrupted his thoughts as she rested her hand on his shoulderplate.
"Master.. please.. this is suicide." Zalos knew why she was so worried, but never acknowledged it. He pressed a button on the side of his helmet, and the faceplate retracted, and his spiked glove folded back as he rested his mechanical hand on her cheek.
"Kayla..my dear apprentice, you have proven yourself a faithful and strong Sith warrior and an undyingly loyal apprentice. But now I must enact my revenge, this is something I must do." Kayla looked at him with tears in her eyes.
"This..is goodbye then?" Zalos looked to the side for a moment then nodded slowly. "Then I guess..one more for the hell of it." She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply, which he returned. She always knew how to make him feel human. After a few moments he gently pushed her back, pressed the button on his helmet, and dropped back.
"Goodbye, Kayla."

The decent was brutal. Starship lasers and turret fire tore through the sky, the explosions nearly setting him off his course. His dive had to be straight as an arrow, otherwise he would get sent into the wind. He aimed for a roof by the Jedi command center, and force dove down.

Zalos' boots sunk into the snow on the rooftop building, his breathing system speeding up rapidly as he fought to relax himself from the momentum of the fall. He turned down his audio receivers, as the blasterfire and bombs detonating were deafining. Across the street, a squad of Jedi ran through the streets as they pushed Imperial forces back: the Green Jedi, Corellia's elite. Zalos jumped down, threw up his hood, and followed, blending in with the Jedi Knights.

One of the knights, a young, tan furred Bothan, stopped at a farmer's stand and spoke with him. "This is my chance for some information." Zalos thought to himself. He jumped onto the wall above them and waited. The Jedi bought a couple fruits, then turned and strolled down an alleyway. Zalos leaped down in front of him and grabbed his throat. The Jedi gagged out a cry in surprise and flailed his arms wildly, calling for help in his alien language. "Stow it, before I cut out your tongue." He hissed at the Jedi. The dog like alien clamped his mouth shut immediately. "Good boy.. Now. Where is Jedi Master Carmina?"

Master Carmina sat in the commander's quarters in the west wing of the Republic's staging base, deep in meditation. She had heard rumors of the Sith Stalker, the living weapon of the Empire. Some claim he is a machine, others a force ghost. Some even claim he is a spawn of the Emperor Valen himself. He had torn a warpath through the stars, and now...he was at her doorstep. She reached out to the dark warrior through the Force in an attempt to slow or maybe even reason with him. Carmina's eyes nearly bulged out of her skull when she realized who it was.
"Zane...he's alive."

Every bone in the Jedi's body broke as Zalos sent him hurdling into the wall, tearing the wall down. Zalos ignited his weapons, then casually walked inside as padawans and knights alike stared in disbelief.
"Jedi..where is Master Carmina?" He demanded, his mechanical voice echoing through the halls.
"I'm here." Came a soft reply.

Above him, on a balcony, stood the one who he adored, then hated. The one who left him for dead on Mustafar. The one who betrayed him: Carmina. She stood still as a statue, her brown robes and light blond hair fluttering in the wind caused by the gaping hole in the wall. All became silent, save the slow, rhymical breathing from Zalos' respirator and the hum of his sabers.
"What has happened to you?" Carmina asked, her tone still soft and her movements graceful as she slowly approached him. Zalos simply growled and readied himself, as did the Jedi surrounding him. Carmina calmly raised a hand, and everyone, save the Stalker, relaxed.
"You left me to die!" Zalos roared, nearly deafening those in the room. "I trusted you! We were companions in the Jedi order and you betrayed me!" He swung his saber forward and aimed it at her face. "What say you in your defense." Carmina reeked of fear. She knew her actions had lead to this.  "You were mortally wounded. I believed you were..you were in your death throes..."
"Oh and yet you didn't think to finish me? Grant me mercy?" He snapped. Carmina looked him in the eyes, her green eyes piercing the metal ones, stabbing right through his heart. "I...I loved you too much to kill you. I won't kill you now either." Zalos lowered his weapons. "Please...come back to me. We can start over." She pleaded, reaching for his lightsabers. "Just..you and me?" Zalos asked, his voice softened, and he disengaged his weapons. She nodded, relieved.
"Just you and me, and we can get you help too..please Zane. Come home." He looked back up at her.
"Zane..is dead."
The cruel, sharp snap-hiss of his lightsabers filled the room. The Jedi swarmed over, only to be knocked back by Zalos' force push. Carmina gagged and fell to her knees as a lightsaber protruded from her stomach. Suddenly, Sith soldiers, followed by Kayla, burst through the roof, chasing out the Jedi Knights.

Zalos caught his former friend, his former love and held her close to his chest as he clipped his weapon back to his belt.
"I'm so sorry..Carmina.. I had to..I had t.." he couldn't even finish his sentence. She rested a hand on the cheek of his faceplate, leaving a bloody handprint. "There is no death..there is only..the...the..."
"There is only..the Force." He finished. She smiled and gagged, then her body went limp. Kayla approached as he closed her eyes and clipped the fallen Jedi's saber to his belt. "Rest in peace, my old friend." He whispered, then stood.
"Zalos? Are..you okay?" Kayla asked. He stiffened and nodded.
Yes... make sure these bodies are returned to the Jedi." He strolled by her then added. "Respectfully." Kayla bowed and began ordering the soldiers to get coffins.

Zalos stood at the balcony of the Jedi compound, his arms crossed as he looked out at the sunset. He had removed most of his armor, including his chestpiece, spikes and most of his mask. He needed to feel the sun on his face, the sun of his childhood. Kayla approached him from behind and took his hand. Although he couldn't feel it, he could sense her touch through the Force.
"How are you feeling?" She asked softly. He turned and looked at her, she was dressed in a simple red silk nightgown, and her warpaint and makeup was removed. He nodded slowly.
"I'm fine. Just...needed to think." She nodded back.
"Remember. The pain is meant to fuel us master." She reminded him. He smiled faintly.
"Just call me Zalos."